Troubling Trials
by Bchandler
Summary: A trainer with a delayed start, and a mightyena who might not be average will go on the journey of a lifetime, or will they with a tough start it might not be all sunshine and rainbows for the two of them. Rated M just in case.
1. 1:The Journeys Beginning

Golden rays of morning sunshine pushed their way through the slightly ajar blackout curtains that hung covering most of the window of a rather large bedroom. The bedroom would be something you would expect of your average teenager. A desk with a computer and phone sitting right under the window a bed with said teenager sleeping in the middle of the room the headboard of the bed facing the north wall, A television mounted to be viewed from the bed, and even a few childish things lined the room like a few pokemon plushes the only notable thing about them is that they all seem to be canines In some way. Soon the phone sitting on the desk began to ring with a few loud and shrill beeps.

The teen woke up yawning as he walked over to the desk to turn the phone off checking the weather and time the white letters of the time read out 7:15. He looked in the mirror his black hair matching his almost black colored eyes a thin scar on his chest the only blemish on the young man. The 16-year-old happily smiled before silencing the alarm the text for the daily message read out "Journey start!" The young man was so happy to finally be able to start his journey. He let out a chuckle before walking over to the closet on the opposite side of the room opening the door and walking into the closet picking out his clothing for that day. A simple pair of jeans and a grey shirt would do him well. He put his clothes on before grabbing a pair of black boots slipping them on and tying them before grabbing his pack.

The teen looked it over seeing the two patches that were neatly placed on their spots on the Velcro lines for the patches, one a medics patch to show he knew and was licensed as a basic EMT, and his nametape showing off just the name in gold capital letters BRYCE C. He then strapped the rather light pack onto his back before walking over to his desk taking his phone, charger, and a few odd cubes from the desk putting them in a designated pouch for medical supplies before closing his bag up and pocketing his phone while walking out of his room.

Any normal teenager would greet his family in the morning, but for Bryce that would not happen since they would be out with the league doing business for different regions. As he grabbed a slice of toast and a glass of milk he looked at the time seeing it was already 7:30 he grabbed his keys locking up the house for the last time looking at the front gates of his tiny hometown of Twinleaf. He took a deep breath before walking down towards the gates of the town a sign posted right in front of the gates with a T in the road. On the path to the left would be Lake Verity and on the right path would be route 201 leading to Sandgem town. Bryce looked back for the last time taking the right path seeing as he was going to visit his friend professor Rowan.

The walk lasted only a few minutes before the first buildings of Sandgem town would be seen through the trees. Bryce walked a little faster through the forest hurrying over towards the laboratory building that happened to be at the entrance of the equally tiny town. The young man stepping into the laboratory making his way through multiple computer stations and stacks of paperwork before entering into a larger work area where the professor was currently standing working at his table before turning around "ah Bryce! Finally, here to start your journey ey?" he asked looking over the young man "never thought you would be able to do it after the accident" he said happily placing a calloused and strong hand on the boy's shoulder.

The normal age for a child to go on their pokemon journey was about twelve or thirteen, but in the unfortunate case for Bryce, there was an accident that left him injured for a while pushing back his start time to sixteen instead of thirteen like he planned. He was brought out of his thoughts for a moment as professor Rowan spoke up "now since most of the kids in the area have left on their journeys already you will be starting really late, but I know you will supersede all of them I can sense that in you."

Bryce looked at the professor nodding at his words of encouragement and advice before speaking up "I won't let you down professor" he said happily as he looked over the room a little curious the shelf that held the starters was currently devoid of any pokeballs whatsoever. "Um, professor what happened to all the starters then?" Bryce asked a hint of worry and confusion in his voice, but thankfully the professor didn't pick it up in the slightest.

The professor nodded softly his smile soon disappearing and was replaced with a neutral and serious face "well here's the thing. We don't have any starters at the moment and I know how much you want to go on your journey, so I decided that I would be giving you something a bit different than a normal starting pokemon. He was found at the lakefront very injured and beaten, but that's not all that we discovered." The professor said in a serious almost chilling tone.

Bryce listened very closely to what the professor had said to him making sure to account for every detail he was about to be told. He already seemed to be tasked with a big responsibility from the professor; he did not want to disappoint him at all leading him to speak up before Rowan could speak again "I will do my best to take care and nurture any pokemon you give me professor" he said nodding his head.

"I was hoping you would say that. Now this pokemon there is a few different oddity's about him one is that he has the ability to speak the English language, and secondly he is able to switch from his basic quadrupedal form to a more bipedal form within just a few seconds which we are trying to study, but due to his unknown past and semi-hostile attitude it is extremely hard to get any viable research from him." Said the professor now looking deep into the eyes of Bryce an aura of seriousness radiating from the professor at the point. "Now would you be willing to train and help us study him by taking him on your journey?" the professor asked.

"I will do it, professor, I won't let you down and I will work my hardest" Bryce said a new fire lighting up in his eyes; a fire that the professor hadn't seen since the accident the newfound confidence making the professor let out a huge bellowing laugh before grabbing a black lidded ball from a stand on the work table tossing it over to Bryce who caught it with ease looking up at the professor "This is heavier than a normal pokeball" he mumbled looking over the pitch black and grey ball.

"It's a new type of pokeball they are more secure than a normal pokeball and they will only release a pokemon to the person that is permitted to release them. These new pokeballs are made almost like the storage cubes that I gave you to pack your stuff with." The professor said grabbing one of the ten balls from the table pressing his finger on the top half of the ball and throwing it into the air releasing a chimchar. "See it works just like that!" he said with a sly smirk looking at Bryce.

"I thought you didn't have any starters left" Bryce blurted out a hint of annoyance in his voice as he looked at the professor.

Professor Rowan nodded "You see the reason I did not give you a regular starter is that I know you will rise to greater levels than a normal trainer now get out there Bryce and don't let me down" the professor said before returning the fire chimp pokemon waving the teen off "I expect the next time I see you is at your league championship matches" he said grabbing a box with a pokedex and nine more of the special pokeballs. "now I know you know this already but the league has upped the number of allowed pokemon for a person to have on them at once to be raised from six to ten for anyone starting their journey after the age of fifteen" he said handing him the case pressing a button on the latch causing it to shrink to about the size of a small phone.

"I will professor!" he shouted out as he walked out of the laboratory looking over the pokeball that contained his first pokemon not setting it down once since he grabbed it pocketing the case as he walked out the lab and back over to route 202 so that he could finally meet his new starter pokemon.

The route from Sandgem town to Jubilife city would span about a week at least so there was a large opportunity to train and get to know his starter pokemon. Bryce took the pokeball out after setting up camp for the night since it was getting dark he decided that now would be a good time to find out what the professor left him with " I wonder if we will make good friends" Bryce said to the pokeball before throwing it into the air a bright light flowing out of the ball as it began to form his starter.

The first thing he noticed about the pokemon was that it was quadruped and of the canine variety. It made Bryce smile a little as the light began to die down revealing grey and black fur along with a flowing tail the and piercing red eyes. Bryce stood shocked at the Mightyena the pokemon looking at the teenager threateningly starting to circle the human before walking over and taking a few soft sniffs at him. "who are you and what do you want from me?" asked the pokemon in a gruff voice a hint of distrust and hate in the pokemon's voice.

Bryce stood there shocked for a second; his pokemon talked to him, but before he knew it he spoke up "I'm Bryce I was entrusted to be your new trainer and friend" He said with a soft smile.

The Mightyena looked up and down the teenager and huffed once he was done staring "Names Shade" he said before huffing and sitting in front of the human the mightyena seeming really disinterested. The mightyena looked at him again "So I suppose your going to force me into battle against my will is that right?" the bite pokemon spat out. "Are you going to use me as a tool to win battles, or maybe you'll use me as a since experiment since I'm special is that it?!" he shouted out stomping over to Bryce his body changing as he almost looked like he pushed himself to walk on two legs; the pokemon now taller than the human before him "Answer me!" the pokemon yelled out.

Bryce just stood there staring at the mightyena it appears Shade had been through a plethora of situations in his past he did not know about. "I want to work with you and be your friend not have you as my slave," he said

"I don't believe you" he said grabbing Bryce's arm hard his claws beginning to dig into the young mans flesh a bit of blood beginning to drip out from his arm as Bryce held his arm there now wanting to make anything worse "you will just use me for show and abuse me on the side like all the others before you" he growled out his tight grip still clamped to the boys arm tightly more blood dripping down his arm and onto the dirt below them "You will never be anything to me, and I will never help you" he said growling before looking at the kid and smiling. "your afraid! You should be!" he let out a laugh before walking over to the other side of the clearing and laid himself down in the grass.

Bryce just stood there in shock he was scared of what the mightyena could do and what he had just said. Bryce grabbed his pack opening the medical pouch and grabbing a storage cube pressing a button before opening the box and grabbing a package of gauze and wrapping the wound tightly, so it would stop bleeding. Bryce looked over at the Shade the teen now shivering a little out of fear before starting up a fire seeing as it was now dark, and the possibility of traveling was zero. Bryce grabbed his sleeping bag soon enough and climbed inside curling up into a tiny ball to sleep.

Shade looked up from his position a bit later before seeing Bryce climb into his sleeping bag the mightyena snorting softly as he saw the human curl up into a ball thinking to himself _'if only I never had a trainer ever again'_ he thought about the possibility for a few more minutes before looking up at the clear nights sky. He saw a small shooting star and whispered out "I wish this guy never met me" he said aloud not expecting an answer

"I can't grant that wish young pokemon it would interfere with a bigger picture," a new voice said in the mightyena's mind.

"who are you and what are you doing in my head" Shade spoke up looking around the only ones in the clearing currently were him and Bryce.

"why don't I show you," the voice said again in Shades mind before a flash was seen behind a tree and soon the person in question floated out from behind the tree and right in front of the mightyena

Shade stood there flabbergasted as the one and only Wish pokemon Jirachi floated right in front of him with a smile "What do you want to show me?" he asked looking up at the pokemon "something to do with the boy?" he asked a low growl seeping out of his throat.

"Why yes it does have something to do with young Bryce over there," he said slowly floating around the mightyena "I see you think you have made the boy fear you. He will become one of the bravest pokemon masters and warriors you will ever see you know that?" he said looking the canine pokemon in the eyes.

"I don't believe you he fears me even after that little scratch!" the mightyena chuckled out looking at the wish pokemon.

"He does not fear _you_. He fears that he will _lose you_ " the pokemon said closing his eyes briefly as the mightyena just sat there. "there are many things that you don't know about him that you should see" the pokemon said before tapping Shade on the nose lightly with his hand as visions began to flood into the mightyena's mind.

Pictures of a young boy running around with a Luxray in a backyard was the first image that clearly presented itself in the mightyena's mind, the second picture would be of the two of them now a bit older exploring near a lakefront, as he continued to watch the boy would get older and the luxray would be at his side till a clear picture of a young Bryce was standing with the same luxray both of them looking at something that was currently approaching the two of them. As they stood there three men could be seen in odd suits before one pulled out a pokeball tossing it in the air before releasing a dragonite. The picture in Shades mind begun to play like a movie. "Give me your pokemon kid or else you might get hurt," said the lead man the other two letting out gruff laughs.

"I won't let you take spark away" the young boy stood up the men as the dragonite with almost dead eyes stood above the two of them menacingly as the luxray known as Spark let out a growl static flowing in the air the leader of the group frowned "Well that's a shame then. End the two of them we could always get stronger pokemon" the man said snapping his finger as the dragon pokemon opened his mouth charging up a Hyper beam. Shade watched in horror speaking out "It'll kill them" he said to nobody as he was watching the memory as it continued. Spark grabbing Bryce by the shirt throwing him on his back before the beam could be launched, but it was too late they were hit Spark taking the brunt of the full and continuous hit for Bryce who was now also getting hit with the beam across the chest.

As soon as it ended the three men left the two of them to hopefully bleed out and die, but a man found them soon after the incident and the local authorities were called out ambulances transported the two. Another few images played of the hospital ride where Bryce looked defeated as the paramedics stood over Spark the young boy bawling his eyes out even though the massive amount of pain he must be experiencing through the chest wound. The next picture showed him a year later now out of the hospital applying for his journey but was turned down due to the injury he sustained. AS the images slowed to a halt to the current time a few tears flowed from Shades eyes as he looked over at the sleeping teenager.

"you see how it's not that he's afraid of what you will do to him. It's that he's afraid that he will be all alone again" Jirachi said aloud as he floated around the mightyena and hovered over to Bryce's bag pulling out two cubes one with a picture of a cross and the other looked to just have the writing of rifle on the side of it. Jirachi then tossed the cubes at mightyena "He had these put together just for your journey" he said grimly.

Shade pushed the button with the cross on it opening the case showing off a full trauma kit before looking over at the other cube hesitantly. "Why though does he think he will have to use it on me?" he asked looking over at Bryce who was fast asleep.

"Not on you, but to protect you since the incident he does not want to go through that again he does not want to lose you like he did with Spark" said the Jirachi as he tapped the button on the cube as it more of morphed into almost a case the long case was easy to open by being flipped up showing off the rifle currently unloaded two magazines resting in their appropriate slots. "he hopes he never has to use this," Jirachi said closing the case before grabbing a book out of the bag the last item to be shown to Shade.

"this book is split up, on one side is his dreams and the other his journal I suggest you should read it" the pokemon said before floating away "I trust you will do the right thing, and remember things take patience" Jirachi said before floating away leaving the mightyena awestruck and in tears before looking over at the boy things crossing his mind but one thing for sure "I have to make things right"


	2. 2: Day one of the Journey

The dawn sunlight broke through the leaves of the tall trees illuminating a small campsite in the middle of the woods. Two forms began to become clear one a Boy sleeping, but not having a good sleep as he tosses and turns in his sleeping bag for a few minutes before curling back into a ball. The second form was across the small clearing also curled up but looser almost a little more relaxed, but instead of a human it was a pokemon; a mightyena to be precise. The two of them begin their journey the previous day albeit to a rocky start.

The first one to wake up happened to be the teenager the young man softly letting out a yawn before looking around the events of the previous night flooding his mind as he raised his left arm seeing the bandage wrapped around it tightly some residual blood staining the gauze. Bryce did not want to remove the wrapping, so he sighed before picking up his sleeping bag before walking a little deeper into the forest to clear his mind for a bit. The boy could not stop thinking about his first encounter with Shade.

"I just wanted to be his friend, but I guess he does not feel the same way," he said aloud to nobody walking into another clearing this one being smaller than the one the two of them slept the previous night in. Bryce pulling out his phone just now remembering that it was in his pocket seeing the time readout on the display as 6:00 AM. The teenager sighed as he pocketed his phone once again before looking around and finding a good place to set up for his morning workout routine. He had skipped it the previous day to be fully ready for his journey.

Bryce started by putting in his headphones the music beginning to pump for him, but for anyone who would pass by it would be silent. He began by doing some simple martial arts forms that he was taught to do when warming up. The motions felt fluid and natural to the boy as his arms and legs almost worked in unison forming what would be a dance of punches, kicks, elbows, and more movements as he got into his workout matching his movements to the beat that was playing in his head. Not once did the teen slip or make a mistake in the whole ten minutes he was continuing to work through an assortment of forms.

As the sun illuminated the main campsite the yellow rays of the sun crept through the clearing the rays of the sun like a river of gold light brightening the clearing. A grey and black form could be seen at the edge of the clearing some random things scattered near the figure. Soon enough a few growls and groans could be heard coming from the body as it began to get up from his slumber. Shade had a rough night from resenting his new trainer for literally no reason at all, to being driven to tears as he was shown practically a movie of Bryce's life pretty much until the two met.

Shade sighed as he softly got up still in his second of two forms which he can switch between due to a genetic anomaly. He got up to his full height preferring the bipedal form over his more feral quadruped form. Shade looked around looking for the teen a bit confused seeing the sleeping bag that he had slept in lay currently devoid and unfilled expecting to find the human still asleep in it, but now the mightyena was beginning to get worried as thoughts began to form in his mind. 'Did he really leave me?' 'Will he forgive me?' He shook the thoughts out of his head quickly before he heard a yell from the forest still close to the campsite. Shade had taken a few moments before he left to put the two storage cubes and journal back where he found them.

The clearing that the yell came from was not that hard to get to unnoticed for Shade as he stood at the edge of the clearing looking on at the form who was currently beating on a tree. Bryce stood there in front of a tree beginning to kick and punch at the tree in rapid succession. The frustrations and other emotions flooding out of him with each volley of punches and kicks he performed on the tree letting out a few angry yells every now and again as he looked at the tree giving it a final punch as the song his headphones currently beat out ended the teen now deeply breathing as he slouched against the tree.

Shade could see the boy working on the tree with a bunch of punches and kicks knowing from experience that he's working his anger and other emotions out. As he observed the boy he could see flecks of water catch the sunlight as he stood there both tears and sweat dripped off the teen. The mightyena looking for a while longer still tentative if he should go out there before remembering his vow to make things right once again. He looked over at the Bryce for a few more seconds before walking out into the clearing a twig snapping as he made a whole three steps into the clearing.

Bryce stood there slouched against the tree heavily panting as he let his emotions flow the music long fading out no song to follow its predecessor the only noise currently was the sounds he was making and the occasional starlet cry in the trees. He came to attention as a sound alerted him to another presence. He looked over his heard dropping once again as he looked over seeing the source of his emotions both good and not standing in the clearing. It was Bryce who spoke up first "What do you want more belittlement? Or do you want something else?" the teen spat out looking over at the pokemon his voice hoarse and eyes puffy with the shed tears.

"I just wanted to see where you went you were not at the campsite when I woke up. I…I wanted to say sorry." The mightyena said looking over at the boy.

Bryce just stood there staring at the mightyena for a few more seconds before walking over "Sorry for what?" he asked uneasily still.

"Sorry for last night and for judging you without even knowing you," The mightyena said a paw scratching the back of his head nervously.

Bryce just sighed before getting up from his position against the tree and walking over "Ill make breakfast." He said the tone of his voice lifting somewhat.

"Please don't say you're going to make me eat those damned pellets" Shade whined as he made a few disgusted faces causing Bryce to snort a bit before patting the mightyena's shoulder.

"I said I was going to be your trainer, not a cruel one," he said a small smile forming on his face as he grabbed a few more cubes opening each one as he grabbed a large pan stoking the embers of the night's fire and adding more timber. "I hope you like bacon and eggs though," he said beginning to work on preparing the food.

"Ill take anything we didn't even have dinner" Shade said in a faux defeated tone trying his best to be a little more friendly as it began to work just a tiny bit as Bryce popped a few grins and giggles every now and again.

Bryce looked at the food in his lap before taking a few bites of it finishing it off quickly a few more thoughts crossing his mind a bit more before looking up at shade. "Did you mean what you said last night?" He asked pulling his knees up to his chest.

Shade looked over at Bryce curiously as he asked "what do you mean what I said"

"Before I fell asleep I heard you wish. It was that you would've never met me" He said lowly his eyes tracing along the dirt in front of him.

"I…I don't know its complicated" he said softly looking down at the food in his paws which was about three quarters of the way finished.

Bryce nodded softly as he grabbed his phone again opening it and flipping through a few pictures before closing it again "Do you want to hear why I'm starting my journey so late" he answered in a saddened tone

Shade looked at him knowing what kinds of memories that would surface just by the previous nights showing all courtesy of Jirachi. "Yeah, you can explain as we head through the forest."

Bryce nodded before he began to pack up the rest of the camp putting all the dishes and other equipment back in their separate compartments before seeing the time on his phone beep out at 10:00 AM giving them plenty of time before looking over at shade "It all started with the family luxray" he began as they began to head down the path and towards the next city.


End file.
